Forests

Photos on Display at Axe & Barrel Pub Near Victoria

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I'm excited to share that I have 13 photos hanging in the Axe & Barrel Pub just outside Victoria! At the start of summer, the pub's owners approached me looking to create a 'westcoast forest' theme for the building's interior that highlighted local areas. Together we curated a series that includes images of beautiful places such as the Carmanah Valley, Avatar Grove, Big Lonely Doug, Strathcona Park, and the West Coast Trail. The prints - which range in size from 20"x30" to 24"x36" - were printed and mounted on aluminum die-bond, then protected with a laminate coating by Alan at Artbox in Victoria. They did a fantastic job! Hanging them on the uneven surface of the logs was its own challenge though ;)

If you happen to be in the area, pop in for a burger or beer, and check them out! Big thanks again to Ron and Diana for supporting my work as well.

If you're interested in prints like these for your home or business, drop me a line at prints@tjwatt.com

The Walrus Magazine - Big Lonely Doug

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The Walrus Magazine has recently published a story about Big Lonely Doug, the forestry worker Dennis Cronin who decided to leave him standing, and the battle for old-growth forests on Vancouver Island. The article by Harley Rustad features two of my photos, along with one from Dennis which shows the tree standing in the forest (never thought I would see that view!). Let's hope Doug's message is heard loud and clear and we save his old-growth friends who remain endangered on Edinburgh Mt. and across BC. Read the article here: https://thewalrus.ca/big-lonely-doug/

Here are some behind the scenes shots from my time showing writer Harley Rustad around to Big Lonely Doug and the adjacent Eden Grove, one of Vancouver Island's most spectacular and endangered ancient forests that was once part of the forest around Doug.

Exposed: New Old-Growth Logging on Edinburgh Mt. Near Port Renfrew

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Below are images featuring recent old-growth logging on Edinburgh Mt. near Port Renfrew. It took a 17km round-trip hike up the steepest roads I've encountered on the island to access the area, which is on the mountainside above Big Lonely Doug. What we found were two old-growth clearcuts, totaling 34 hectares (almost 40 football fields) in size. Dozens of old-growth western redcedars - some of them 8 feet in diameter -, yellow cedar, western and mountain hemlocks, and very rare, old Douglas-firs (between 500 to 1000 years in age) have been logged. How much further will the BC government allow this industry to go? Plans for four new old-growth clearcuts, one approved and three pending approval, and an expanded road network are also underway. It would seem that no place is currently deemed too rare or important in the destructive race to log the island's last endangered old-growth forests before we have a chance to see them saved. Ecosystems that have taken millennia to form, erased in a blink of an eye, never to be seen again.

A giant old-growth western redcedar log in a Teal-Jones clearcut on Edinburgh Mt. near Port Renfrew - TFL 46.

Standing among three ancient cedar trees on the edge of new logging operations by Teal-Jones. Edinburgh Mountain is one of the largest contiguous tracts of largely unprotected old-growth forest left on southern Vancouver Island, along with the nearby contentious Central Walbran Valley. It is within the traditional territory of the Pacheedaht First Nation band.

BC Magazine: An Old-Growth Battlefield - Can We Save Our Ancient Matriarchs?

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The Fall issue of British Columbia Magazine has hit the newsstands and it includes a great feature article titled An Old-Growth Battlefield - Can We Save Our Ancient Matriarchs? by Hans Tammemagi. I spent 3 days with Hans, touring him around Port Renfrew to places like the Avatar Grove, Big Lonely Doug, Eden Grove, the San Juan Spruce, and the Central Walbran Valley. Happy to see three of my images featured in print as well! Grab a copy if you can :)

Press: Union of BC Municipalities Passes Resolution Calling for Old-Growth Protection

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The chorus is growing!! The Union of BC Municipalities voted last week to support a resolution calling on the provincial government to end old-growth logging on Vancouver Island and amend the outdated 1994 land-use plan. This comes on the heels of the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities passing the same resolution and the BC Chamber of Commerce, representing 36,000 businesses across the province, passing a similar resolution. The BC Liberal government is now out on it's own in supporting the destruction of the island's last endangered old-growth ecosystems.

Press: Cover Photo - Climbing in the Carmanah

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An image of mine from the research climb that took place in the Carmanah Valley's Stoltmann Grove earlier this summer has made the cover of UBC's Forestry Magazine! You can read the full story about the project on pages 16-17 here: http://forestry.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2011/11/BL-27.3.pdf

You can also hear Master's student Vincent Hanlon speaking with Bob McDonald on CBC's Quirks and Quarks about his research into genetic mutations in some of the country's tallest trees: www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/quirks-quarks-for-september-10-2016-1.3754792/genetic-changes-in-the-lifetime-of-individual-trees-1.3754873

Press: Shaw TV Features Big Lonely Doug and the Eden Grove

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I recently had the pleasure of touring a journalist from Victoria's Shaw TV to both Big Lonely Doug and the spectacular, yet endangered Eden Grove right next door. Check out the two resulting news pieces below, which also feature some of my drone clips and new video from my trail camera of a black bear climbing a giant cedar tree!

Exploration: Hiking 50-40 Peak near Port Alberni

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In August 2016, my partner and I joined a couple of good friends to climb 50-40 Peak (elevation: 5039 ft / 1536 m) about 45 minutes beyond Port Alberni on southern Vancouver Island. It turned out to be an incredibly beautiful and wild place to explore, with stunning views of the nearby mountains like Triple Peak, Cats Ear, and Pogo Mountain. On day 1, with temps in the mid-’30s, we hiked the steep trail from the logging road up through the young forest and into old-growth, before reaching the stunning Cobalt Lake after about 1.5 hours. There’s no better sight to see than those cool, crystal-blue waters after a hot climb like that! We swam, cooked dinner, swatted mosquitoes (SO MANY!), watched the sunset, and camped overnight alongside the lake. The following morning we woke up early to see a beautiful sunrise bathing the spires of Triple Peak in a pinkish-red hue while clouds flowed through the valley below. After asking a big black bear to please head in the other direction as it wandered down the valley toward our camp, we ate breakfast and hiked the last 1.5 hours to the summit. The views from here were some of the most breathtaking panoramas I’ve ever seen on the island! If you’re looking for a highly rewarding day hike or over overnight camp, I’d definitely recommend this trail. Though it doesn't take too long, it does get quite steep in sections so hiking experience and a good level of fitness are recommended. A 4x4 vehicle with good clearance is also necessary to access the trailhead to Cobalt Lake. For more detailed info on the trails see: http://www.summitpost.org/50-40-peak/558245 Below are some photos from our journey!

Interested in fine-art prints? Email: prints@tjwatt.com